(Photo from AFP PHOTO / MONTANA FISH, WILDLIFE AND PARKS)
Donald Trump has signed an order removing the gray wolf and Mexican wolf from the endangered species protection list, opening the way for farmers to shoot them to defend their livestock.
Foreign news agencies reported on 5 Sep 2026 that US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to delist the gray wolf and its subspecies, the Mexican wolf, from the endangered species protection list.
This decision by the US president may allow farmers and livestock owners to kill these canines to protect their herds. The order states that livestock owners play a "vital role" in America's food supply chain and cultural heritage.
However, conservation groups have criticized this move, warning it could undermine long-term efforts to restore the populations of these endangered wolves.
Data from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) show that in 2025, there were 319 Mexican wolves in the wild, up from just 4 when reintroduction began in 1998.
Meanwhile, about 18,000 gray wolves roam the US, but they remain listed as endangered due to widespread habitat loss caused by humans.
The US government previously attempted to delist both wolf species at the federal level, but efforts in 2022 were stalled by legal challenges. Activists have indicated plans to pursue similar legal actions if the Department of the Interior proceeds with Trump’s order.
The executive order does not immediately authorize farmers to shoot wolves preying on livestock but gives Interior Secretary Deb Haaland 90 days to assess whether gray and Mexican wolf populations have recovered sufficiently to be removed from the endangered species list.
The order also notes that US livestock numbers have fallen to a 75-year low, while beef demand has risen 10% in the past decade. Therefore, "we can and should do more to support this vital industry."
Environmental groups have pointed to studies showing wolf attacks on livestock are very rare and have minimal financial impact on farmers.
“This is a major distraction designed to appease a small group of farmers by making them believe wolves are a greater threat than Trump’s own policies,” said Greta Anderson, deputy director of the Western Watersheds Project, which works on wildlife conservation in the US western states.
This executive order comes as the Trump administration seeks to reduce record-high beef prices caused by drought and parasite outbreaks affecting US cattle herds.
Livestock owners have expressed dissatisfaction with Trump’s decision to ease restrictions on beef imports to control soaring prices, which further pressures their already thin profit margins.
Follow international news:https://www.thairath.co.th/news/foreign
Source:bbc